Not so much a general sports blog as an irregularly updated desperate plea for help.

Monday, October 27, 2008

The Scotsman's last chance

Cathal Kelly is not all that respected by the TFC faithful. Actually, words that rhyme with Billy Bean's least favourite offensive strategy are often used to describe the Star's soccer columnist.

However, he's been given a one day pass to Cooltown today (did I really just write that? It must be Monday), after his scathing review of Mo Johnston.Although one could still pick flaws with it--the problem, for instance, isn't that MLS requires TFC to carry Canadians. It's TFC's director of soccer's inability to find any--but it is likely the harshest critique of Johnston yet seen in the MSM.

This has to been Johnston's last chance. Lots of promises were made around this time last year to fans. Johnston claimed that TFC would bea much different product on the pitch in 2008 than it was in '07. However, despite having a reduced Canadian requirement and whole bunch of money, MoJo managed to bring in, well, no one prior to the start of the season.

TFC started 2008 with less talent than it had at the end of '07. It's not fully fair to compare sports, but could you imagine what the uproar would be if the Leafs went an entire off-season without making a single move beyond drafting? More than 2,000 Reds fans made plans to get to Columbus to support the team when it kicked off the season, but the team's management couldn't be bothered to bring in any players (or wasn't able to. What's worse?).

So, here we are. If MoJo likes his job you would think that he would need to get it in gear quickly. Toronto fans are losing patience and, although the loud ones aren't going to go anywhere, it's only a matter of time before the expensive seats in the west stand start to sit empty on game day.